


Life through the Same Lens

by fievre



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Minor Violence, Past Character Death, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-16
Updated: 2015-09-16
Packaged: 2018-04-17 22:10:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 16,322
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4683179
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fievre/pseuds/fievre
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Regina Mills is a single mother and teacher at a private school in New York City, leading a fairly routine, but lonely, life with her sharp-tongued mother and increasingly frustrated son. Emma Swan, a detective in the NYPD Missing Persons Squad, spends her workdays with her partner August, and most nights at home with her mother.</p>
<p>A chance meeting on a disastrous night out with their respective best friends brings Regina and Emma into each other's lives, and gives them each the courage to try something different.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Please check out the absolutely lovely art [ "Coffee, Black"](http://archiveofourown.org/works/4745084) by [Jajs](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Jajs/pseuds/Jajs), which is the companion piece to this fic. Thank you so much, Jajs!

 

“...And those are the basic principles of catalysis,” Regina Mills said as she capped her marker and turned from the whiteboard to face her class. She glanced at the clock on the wall. “Before you’re all dismissed for the weekend, I'd like to remind you that your completed lab reports are due on Tuesday.” The bell rang and the scramble of teenage bodies began. She would have told a few of them to have a good weekend, but she wouldn't have been heard over their chattering voices and the noise in the hallway filtering in from the classroom door that had recently been flung open. The room cleared in what seemed like record time, and even though she stood waiting – she wasn't sure for what, perhaps a wave or a “Goodbye, Ms. Mills” – not one of her students even looked her way. She erased the whiteboard in seven annoyed strokes and moved one or two items on her already pin-neat desk. She closed up her lesson plans, placed papers to be graded in their appropriate folders, and placed all of it into her briefcase with a few efficient movements. She took a last glance backward before she left her classroom, shutting off the lights. She strode down a few mostly empty hallways to the front entrance, nodding at a colleague here and there, although they didn't make eye contact with her either. Outside at the steps, a gangly teenage boy with messy hair was loosening the tie on his uniform as he leaned against the railing. In the beginning stages of a growth spurt, his clothes looked simultaneously too small and too loose for him. He, at least, looked Regina in the eye – but he didn't return her smile.

 

“Come along, sweetheart,” Regina said, attempting to place an arm through his. The boy pulled away and looked around self-consciously at a few clusters of students that were still hanging around, chatting with each other.

 

“Mom, _seriously_? I'm not a little kid anymore.” He slouched his way down the steps in a half run, with his hands shoved in his pockets. He looked over his shoulder when he hit the sidewalk at Regina, who was still standing there, oddly embarrassed by the rebuff. She thought she heard snickering from a few teens nearby, and she recovered enough to glare in their direction. She left silence in her wake as she marched down the stairs.

 

Henry, her son, was already balled into the corner of the town car that was waiting to take them home. Normally, she would have scolded him for his rudeness, but when she noticed the high color on his cheeks, she knew that he felt bad and considered her words.

 

“Straight home, please, driver,” Regina said. The man behind the wheel nodded and raised the partition.

 

After a few minutes of silence while Henry gazed out the window, she said, “I'm sorry, Henry.”

 

The boy shrugged and Regina paused. Before continuing. “I didn't mean to embarrass you. I wasn't thinking.”

 

“It's okay,” Henry mumbled. “I'm sorry, too. I just wish you'd let me ride the subway home sometimes. Or go hang out where the other kids do.”

 

Regina pursed her lips. “Henry, you're my responsibility. I just want to make sure that you don't end up –”

 

“Like my real parents?”

 

That stung. It was Regina's turn to stare out of the window and say nothing.

 

“Sorry,” Henry mumbled. “I didn't mean it like that.”

 

“Henry, I wanted you to find out about your adoption when you were older,” Regina said softly. “I always planned to tell you when I thought that it wouldn't... hurt you. But,” Regina shook her head ruefully, “your grandmother Cora had other ideas.” Regina turned to face Henry and brushed his hair out of his eyes. “You are my son and I love you. I couldn't love you more than I already do if I had given birth to you. You know that, right?”

 

Henry nodded, shamefaced. “I don't know why I said that. I didn't mean it.”

 

“I know you didn't. You were just frustrated with me. And I understand why. But Henry, there are things I ask of you not to spoil your fun, or to make you unhappy, but because I want to keep you safe and make sure that your life doesn't...”

 

Henry waited, raising an expectant eyebrow.

 

Regina sighed. “Every decision we make, even the small ones, can lead us down a path we wish we'd never taken. It's only when something really bad happens that you realize that all those things that you thought didn't matter got you to a place you never wanted to be. Does that make sense?”

 

“Mom. We're talking about me riding the subway or walking home and hanging out at Gamerville with a couple guys from school sometimes. You're acting like you're saving me from popping pills and armed robbery or something. It's not that big of a deal.”

 

Regina sighed. “Henry...”

 

“You can't keep me locked up in that house with you and grandma forever,” he said, sullen again. “Just because _you_ want to do the same boring stuff every day –”

 

“Adjust your tone of voice, young man.”

 

Henry sank into the corner of the car again.

 

“I'll think about it, alright?”

 

“That's what you always say.” Henry fished his earbuds from the pocket of his uniform jacket, put them on, and turned up the music on his phone. The tinny sounds of guitar-laden rap hung in the space between them.

 

Regina spent the rest of the ride home fretting that she was smothering Henry too much. She just didn't want him falling in with the wrong crowd. Was she so wrong in wanting to protect her child? She sighed as she trudged up the stairs of their brownstone when they had arrived, and followed Henry inside. He took the inside staircase two at a time and disappeared into his room immediately and Regina tried not to wince as he banged the door shut behind him. Ella, their aging housekeeper, appeared at Regina's side with a sympathetic look.

 

“Anything I can get for you, ma'am?” Ella asked as she took Regina's coat and folded it carefully over one arm.

 

“Nothing, thank you. Where is my mother?”

 

“She said she was taking a spa day, ma'am.”

 

“Any messages?” Regina asked as more of a formality than anything. There were almost never any messages waiting for her when she got home.

 

“Yes ma'am, Ms. Bell called for you.”

 

Regina's eyebrows shot up and her mood lifted immediately. “How long ago?”

 

“Not very long, ma'am.”

 

“Alright, thank you,” Regina said. She gathered her briefcase and headed toward her study. She put her case down beside her desk and sank down gratefully into her chair. She rummaged in her handbag for her phone and turned it on – she thought it set a bad example for her students to have it on during school hours – and sure enough there were two missed calls from her old college roommate and one true friend, Tink.

 

They had been an unlikely duo during their university years, thrown together by coincidence by the accommodation department. Tink – real name Tabitha Bell – was everything that Regina was not. A social butterfly in the truest sense of the term, she had the ability to walk into a room of strangers and leave with five new friends and three dates. She fit in seamlessly wherever she went and could charm any personality she met with. She took nothing seriously, especially rules, but had a quick wit that took people by surprise. She was blonde and favored light, shimmering clothes in every season, but never seemed to look out of place.

 

Her laugh (and she was always laughing about something or other) suited her nickname perfectly – a sweet sound like tinkling bells. They'd made quite a pair at Cambridge: the free spirited fairy and her severe-looking, quiet, chemistry scholar best friend. Tink had taken Regina under her wing, so to speak, and had forced her to go to pubs, parties, clubs, games, rugby matches, kick-backs, the list went on. Everywhere Tink was invited, Regina was invited along too. And if Regina wasn't _exactly_ invited, it was understood that if Tink was there, Regina most likely would be there as well.

 

Regina cringed now to think of all those double dates where she had been paired with twitchy mathematicians, biologists that smelled of chloroform, shy divinity students, and rough and ready rugby players. There had even been an aristocrat or two thrown her way, but she'd kept them all at arm’s length. She went out because it made Tink happy, and sometimes Regina did enjoy herself. It was just that most of the time, she felt on the outside looking in, in spite of Tink's best efforts.

 

Regina dialed Tink's number and her friend picked up on the first ring.

 

“Finally! I've been ringing you all day!”

 

“Hello!” Regina said, with a grin spreading over her face. It was so good to hear from her friend. “How are you?”

 

“Fine, fine. Listen, I'm only in the city for the day and I've got a monstrously early flight tomorrow morning at ten. Can you imagine? Anyway, there's this place that I've been told I simply _have_ to experience and I want to check it out tonight. If you're free, I'd love for you to come with me.”

 

“What place?”

 

“It's this underground, invitation-only kind of thing. It's called _Libera_.”

 

“ _Libera_. You can't be serious, Tink,” Regina said. “My clubbing days are long since over. I haven't been inside one since –”

 

“Since I last dragged you away from your books at uni. I know. But this isn't just _any_ club. It promises a certain type of thrill, and it's completely private and confidential. Come on. Meet me there. I've already gotten you on the list. Just give them your name at the door.”

 

“Tink, this is ridiculous. I'm a mother. I'm a chemistry teacher at a private school. I'm _hardly_ –”

 

“I won't hear of it. You'll be there because you'll want to see me. Now take down this address.”

 

“Couldn't we just have a nice, early dinner to catch up?”

 

“I'll be back in town inside of a month, we'll do it then. I'll even come by and sit with your mother for an hour if you want. Just come out with me tonight. I confess that I'm a little nervous. I need you for moral support.”

 

“Moral support, hm? This is completely ridiculous, by the way,” Regina sighed, resigned. She wanted to say no, but Henry's accusing words about her boring daily routine were still fresh in her mind. She picked up an engraved pen and a monogrammed notepad from her desk. “Where?”

 

Tink laughed in that unique way of hers, happy to have gotten her way, and read off an address to Regina, who wrote it down.

 

“Wear something sexy, alright? Red, maybe, to set off that dark hair of yours. Hair down, no glasses. How _is_ your mother, by the way?”

 

“The same as ever,” Regina said carefully.

 

“She'll outlive us all. She's too hateful to die.”

 

“Tink!” Regina choked back a scandalized laugh.

 

“I'll see you tonight, around eleven? Goodbye, darling.”

 

Regina put down her phone with a shake of her head. She picked up her notepad and studied the address. Was she actually going to do this?

 

“Plans tonight?”

 

Regina looked up in surprise to see her mother looming in the doorway. She had on a chic tailored suit and her hair looked newly cut. Her red lips curved into a little smile. A condescending smile, Regina thought.

 

“Mother,” Regina said with a dry note in her voice. “I didn't notice you lurking there in the doorway. Do come in.”

 

“It will be good for you to get out there. Perhaps even meet someone.”

 

“Mother...”

 

Cora held up her hands. “I'm only saying. It’s been an eternity since you’ve left this house for anything other than work or errands. Do you think that it makes me happy to have a more active, shall we say, _social_ life than my only daughter?”

 

“Frankly, yes.”

 

“Well. As you're going out, I suppose I'd better stay here with Henry. I'll have to call Killian and tell him to drop by here.” Cora's tone was carefully casual.

 

Regina tossed the notepad down on the desk and crossed her arms, suppressing the urge to roll her eyes. “No, you won't. I told you before that I don't want that slimy gigolo near my son.”

 

“Don’t be _dramatic_ , Regina. Besides, he's not coming to see Henry. He's coming to see me,” her mother smiled, practically preening.

 

“He's not coming in this house, period. I don't need to remind you that this is _my_ house, do I, Mother? Mine. Along with everything else my father left to _me._ Nearly every dollar of his fortune was willed to me, and you live here with _my_ permission, on the money I _let_ you spend. So for the last time, neither he nor any of the rest of your group of boy toys are welcome here. Is that understood?”

 

As she spoke, Regina had stood up from behind her desk, and was leaning on it with tented fingers, while Cora had walked closer until they were staring each other down on either side of the desk. Regina could see the anger in her mother's dark eyes suddenly disappear as if it had never been there. Before Regina could react, Cora had picked up the notepad and read the address and met Regina's eyes again with another little smile.

 

“But of course, my darling. I'm sure you'll have a _good_ time tonight. And don't concern yourself. I'll make sure Henry drinks his milk like a good boy and goes to bed when he should. That's what a grandmother is for.” She turned and glided toward the door, graceful in the same sense a snake's slither could be. She paused before she left the study and turned back to face Regina. “By the by, how _is_ Tabitha?”

 

“The same as ever,” Regina said, sitting down again, deflated now. She pulled a folder full of papers to grade from her case where it sat on the floor and set them on the desk.

 

“That's unfortunate. I'd hoped a woman of her age would have stopped that obnoxious giggling and bounding around.”

 

“Yes, Mother, you're right – it's a shame indeed when a woman doesn't act her age.” Regina kept her eyes down on the paper she started grading automatically until she was sure her mother was gone. She set her red pen down and sighed. How ridiculous was she, speaking to her mother that way? She shook her head at herself. She was no better behaved than Henry, and at least Henry had the excuse of being thirteen.

 

She decided that she really _did_ need to go out tonight, and make the most of it if she could. It might turn out to be just the break she needed.


	2. Chapter 2

Emma Swan looked up as her partner, August Booth, tossed a stack of files on her desk. “Hey!” she cried. “I'm trying to work here.”

 

“Shift’s almost over,” August said, settling into the desk across from her. “Got any big plans this weekend?”

 

“Why do you ask?” Emma questioned with a distracted air. She pushed the files out of her way and frowned at the forms she was trying to fill out on her computer.

 

“Just wondering. You could always come out with me,” August said in a faux-flirtatious tone. “You know it's an open invitation. Besides, it’s been a while. It’s time for you to get back out there.”

 

Emma gave August a look and went back to her monitor. They’d had this conversation every weekend they got off from work and Emma could do without another iteration. “If you must know, I already have plans tonight. And even if I didn't –”

 

“I know, I know. You don't mix business with pleasure. Doesn't mean I'm going to stop asking you, though. I wouldn’t mind hitting the town instead of trying to work on that novel I’m never going to finish. And I’d probably have better prospects with a wingma–” here August paused at another look from Emma, “… person,” August awkwardly finished.

 

“Hey, if you're prepared to always hear the word ‘no’, ask to your heart’s content.”

 

“So what are they?”

 

“What are what?” Emma asked, typing rapidly.

 

August leaned forward. “Your. Plans. What are you doing right now, anyway? You're a million miles away.”

 

“A request for some records.”

 

August raised an eyebrow. “Arizona again?”

 

Emma sighed and closed the forms displayed on the monitor. She’d never yet succeed in filling them out. Someone (August, mostly) or something (her own fears, more often) usually stopped her before she did. “Maybe.”

 

“Emma, you’ve gotta give it up. You're lucky enough to have found your mother. Cherish the time you have with her. Besides, you know any kid of yours is going to come looking for you one day. He's got the finding missing persons gene. It's in his blood.”

 

This was all familiar to Emma – it seemed like August gave her this speech at least once a week. “I know. I just wish I’d... handled things differently.”

 

“It’ll work out. You'll see.”

 

Emma rolled her eyes but smiled at August anyway. “You sound like my mother. She's always telling me to have faith that things will work out. Since I found her after all those years, she believes wholeheartedly that my – my son and I will find each other one day.”

 

“Mother knows best,” August said, shaking his finger with mock seriousness. He rocked back in his chair. “Seriously, though. Trust that. It’ll happen.”

 

“It might end up too late. Like with me and my dad.”

 

“It won't. I know it won't.” August fixed his gaze on her and Emma was thankful that at least _one_ of them was sure. August's steady demeanor always helped Emma to refocus when worry threatened to take over. She looked away, embarrassed that his gaze lingered too long. Sometimes it felt like he could see right through her and know everything she was thinking, but he didn't, not really. No one did. And even though he thought he knew her whole story, he didn't. Intensity was just August's thing. That look of his worked on everyone, especially the suspects they interrogated together.

 

“I'm waiting,” he said, biting into an apple.

 

“For...?” Emma stood up and stretched. Sitting at her desk catching up on paperwork wasn’t her kind of shift, and she was glad that this one was over. She thrived on action.

 

“To hear about your plans.”

 

“You’re the most annoyingly persistent person I know. Were you aware of that?”

 

“Yup.” Another bite of apple. “'S what makes me a good detective, and the best partner you've ever had.”

 

“I'm having dinner with my mom. Then her buddies are coming over. Alright?”

 

“Oh yeah. The seven little old men. They play poker together or something, right?”

 

“Yeah. Or they just deal out a hand and talk about the old days.”

 

“And you passed up a night out with me for _that_?”

 

Emma rolled her eyes. “Fine. If you have to know, Lily convinced me to come with her to this club. I'm not into it but she really wants to go. Some new place that's supposed to be real exclusive.”

 

“So how are _you_ two going to get in?”

 

Emma smiled slyly. “Lily knows the guy working the door.”

 

August shook his head and tossed the apple core into a nearby trashcan and it banked off of the rim with a _ding_ , causing one of their fellow detectives to look up with a glare. “Listen, Swan. Don't let Lily get you into anything that you'll regret. You know how she is.”

 

Emma bristled at that. “Yeah, I _do_ know her. And you don't. She's my oldest friend. I'm never going to turn my back on her, August.”

 

“I'm just looking out for you, Swan. You worked too hard to get to where you are. Don't let anyone drag you down, okay?”

 

Emma felt her annoyance fading. She knew that deep down, August wanted what was best for her. She picked up the files that August had deposited on her desk and tossed them back at him. “Have fun with those.”

 

He scoffed. “More fun than you're going to have at that club.”

 

“You think the only person I could have fun with is you.”

 

“Am I wrong?”

 

Emma pulled her leather jacket on and tossed her long, blonde hair over one shoulder. “Goodbye, August.”

 

“Watch yourself, Swan.”

 

 

***

 

Emma contemplated August's words on the drive home from the precinct. He had a point. He had a way of reading people and he’d read Lily like a book the first time they'd met. And Emma hadn't even told him all about the scrapes that Lily had gotten them into when they were growing up. Emma shook off the feeling of unease and told herself that those were August's reservations about Lily, not her own.

 

When she got to the humble house that she shared with her mother, she called out a hello as she stepped inside. As she hung up her coat and took off her holster, Emma's plump-cheeked mother popped out of the kitchen to greet her with a big hug. It embarrassed Emma a little, but she appreciated the warm welcomes every time she came home. She thought of it as making up for lost time.

 

She followed her mother, Mary Margaret, into the kitchen and answered all of the routine questions about her day.

 

“It was pretty dull, actually. August and I had to finish up the paperwork on that case we closed earlier this week. Sarge doesn't want us working on anything else just yet.”

 

“Dinner is almost ready.” Mary Margaret said. She lifted up a pot lid and stirred something and gestured to Emma to take a seat in the breakfast nook. “There's actually something I want to talk to you about.”

 

“Okay...” Emma sat down with an easy smile as her mother sat down across from her. Her mother's heart-shaped face was lined with worry. “Uh-oh. Should I be worried?”

 

“No, no. It's nothing bad, just something tricky. Ruby and Graham were over here today.”

 

Emma nodded, listening patiently.

 

“Well, Ruby is just at her wit’s end. She can't take Graham and Granny squabbling all the time. Graham's dog training business is just getting off the ground, and you know how Granny is. She thinks she knows more about training the dogs than he does.”

 

“She probably does.”

 

Mary Margaret shrugged helplessly. “Ruby came here crying. She can't take it another day. And you know how Graham can be.”

 

“Oh yeah, all that brooding silence or mopey pouting. He thinks it's far more irresistible than it actually is.”

 

Mary Margaret raised her eyebrows. “You're not still...”

 

“Still pining away for him? Not on your life, Mom. Anyway, we only dated a couple of months. Our breakup was mutual and we were on good terms. I introduced him to Ruby, remember? I thought they would get along great, and now they're married. I have a good sense about these things. I was sad to see him leave the force, but he's doing what he's meant to be doing now, I think.”

 

“I agree.” Mary Margaret reached across the table and took Emma's hand. “But you're sure you're okay with how things worked out?”

 

“Absolutely. He wasn't the one for me.”

 

Mary Margaret gave Emma's hand a pat and withdrew her own. “Well, anyhow, they came by to ask how I would feel – how _we_ would feel – about Granny coming to stay here. With us.” Mary Margaret paused and when Emma didn't react, she added, “Permanently.”

 

“Is that all? There's so much space here, you know I don't mind, Mom. And besides, she’s family. It'll be good for you to have someone to keep you company while I'm at work. If you're okay with it, and Granny is too, I see no reason why not.”

 

“I hoped you'd say that. You always want to do the right thing. You're so much like your father. He would have been so proud of you.”

 

A quiet moment passed between them. Emma hoped that her father would have been proud of her. She heard stories from older cops all the time about how brave her father had been, how he fought for the city and the people of the precinct. She wanted to do his legacy proud.

 

“So,” her mother said, breaking into her thoughts. “Any plans tonight?”

 

Emma grinned. “You're the second person to ask me that today. I'm going out with Lily. There's some new dance club or other she wants to go to. She's been talking about it all week, so... I said yes. It's not really my kind of scene, though. I'd just as soon stay here and play poker with your crew,” Emma teased.

 

“Don't underestimate them,” Mary Margaret rose from her seat. “They may look harmless, but they're pretty cutthroat.” She moved about the kitchen and Emma got up and stole a slice of carrot from the counter.

 

“It'll be good for you to get out there and relax for a night. You work too hard,” Mary Margaret said. “And maybe,” she added too casually, “you'll meet someone.”

 

“Real subtle, Mom.”

 

Mary Margaret laughed. “That was pretty bad, wasn't it?”

 

Emma impulsively kissed her mother on the cheek. She was maybe getting too old for such a gesture, but they were still making up for all that lost time. “Not at all. Just don't get your hopes up.” Silently, Emma counseled herself not to do the same thing.


	3. Chapter 3

“Lily, what is this place?” Emma asked for the third time. “It's so... like, creepy. What are these people _chanting_? Lily, I'm so not into this -”

 

“Shut _up,_ ” Lily hissed. “Just go with it. Anton told me there's tons of rich guys here tonight.”

 

“Yeah, and your giant friend at the door looks like he's run into a lot of doorways in his time, if you catch my drift.”

 

Lily wasn't listening because she was busy sizing up two obvious out-of-towners that stood out like sore thumbs, looking around like they didn't get this place either. “What about those two?” Lily said to Emma. “You take the one on the left, and I'll get the one on the right.”

 

“Or you take both, and I go home.”

 

“Come on, just stay a little bit longer. Loosen up a little for once. Promise me that you'll at least try to enjoy yourself? It's about escapism, Em. It's _supposed_ to be weird. Besides, you've told me a hundred times that you were tired of all the same old places. I bring you somewhere _new_ , and immediately you start complaining.”

 

“Fine, Lil. I'll stay for a while, but I'm leaving as soon as you tell me I can.”

 

Lily rolled her eyes. “Sure whatever. You know the signal.”

 

“You mean the one when you've found your fun for the night and you want me to make myself scarce? You either disappear or twist your watch around so that the face is on the inside of your wrist. I picked it up the first fifty times our nights out ended this way, so yeah. I got it, Lil. Down pat.”

 

“Good. Have fun.” Lily swanned off in the direction of the two sore thumbs and left Emma standing alone. Why did she ever agree to come out like this with Lily? It wasn't fun for her ten years ago, much less now. Emma watched the display on stage that looked like some kind of ritual with chanting women in Greek masks and some other... props that made her blush. She turned away and ran right into someone in a white rabbit costume, holding up something that was definitely _not_ a carrot in front of her face. A guy with a top hat and a tiny teacup approached, and in the red light pouring from the ceiling, she could see that his pupils were enormous and that he was probably on something. “Tea, milady?” He held the cup out to her, and Emma looked from one of them to the other and said very succinctly to the rabbit, “Get that thing the hell away from my face, or one of you is going to need medical help to find it.” Both of them took the hint and moved away, and the rabbit glanced back over its shoulder at her. She waved and the rabbit hurried away to a more friendly section of the room. Rolling her eyes, Emma turned and wandered out of the main room down a corridor of doors. She opened one, looking for a restroom, and backed right out again.

 

August had been right, as usual. She had somehow been roped into coming to some cosplay strip club for the elite. The scene she'd just witnessed with “Cleopatra” and a leering one-percenter had given Emma her fill of this creepy place. She was about to turn and go when she heard what sounded like a woman in distress. It was muffled behind a door, and Emma took a few steps further down the hallway trying to hear over the music. When she heard the woman's voice again, she was in full cop mode when she approached the door. She tried the door handle and when it didn't give, she rapped on the door hard with her fist. “Open up, police!” She pounded the door again and another door further down the hallway opened and a harlequin mask peered out. The door finally opened and a woman with dark hair appeared to be trying to pull herself together. “Ma'am, are you alright?”

 

The woman nodded, and looked over her shoulder with a sickened expression at the topless man in a Mickey Mouse mask and leather shorts. He raised his hands. “Hey look, I didn't do anything.” He pointed to a camera on the ceiling. “There's proof. Her friend pushed her in here and we were just dancing.” He gestured behind him to a different woman in a metal-studded, leather, micro-thong bikini and Minnie Mouse mask, who was standing with her hands on her hips. “It's not my fault that she –” he pointed to the distressed woman who had now moved beside Emma “– got all freaked out.”

 

“So who locked her in?” Emma demanded. “Do you always grind up on people that want nothing to do with you?”

 

“Hey, her friend _asked_ us to keep her busy for a while. We were just doing what we were paid to do.”

 

“Is there a problem here?”

 

A new voice, soft but audible above the thumping music, made Emma turn around. “And who are you supposed to be?”

 

“I'm the owner.” The man was slight, somewhat short, and dressed in black, and he smiled at Emma in a way that didn't reach his eyes. And what odd eyes they were, cold and glittering like a reptile's. He made Emma more uneasy than anything else she'd seen so far tonight.

 

“What kind of a place are you running here? Do all your ‘dancers’ barricade your guests in rooms against their will?”

 

“The kind of place I'm running is a perfectly _legal_ one with a clientele that values privacy, officer. Might I see your badge? I'm most curious as to how you got in.”

 

“I don't have my badge right now,” Emma said with as much dignity as I could muster, “But I _am_ a police officer. You need to do a better job instructing your...” she paused and looked the altogether inappropriate pair of ‘Mickey’ and ‘Minnie’ up and down, “... _talent_ here to listen when they're told no.”

 

“Of course. I'll ask your Commissioner if he thinks my little club passes muster the next time he's here. Now if you two ladies would follow me to our side exit, I'd be much obliged.”

 

“I'll be going out the same way I came in, thanks.” Emma placed a hand on the woman's arm, who hadn't spoken yet. “Are you alright?”

 

The woman nodded. “I just want to get out of here.”

 

“I'll see you out and make sure no one else bothers you.”

 

On their way back through the font, Emma quickly scanned the crowd and caught Lily's eye, who winked and tucked her hair behind her ear, showing her watch with the face on the inside of her wrist. Emma was relieved that she could just go without stopping to explain to Lily what happened. The woman paused at the old-fashioned coat check and took her coat and ran the rest of the way to the door.

 

“Hey, wait up,” Emma called. When she got outside, the woman was wrapping her coat around her like a security blanket, tying the belt firmly and pushing her hair back from her face.

 

“I am _so_ sorry to have disrupted your evening. Thank you for your assistance,” she said with so much formality that it caught Emma off guard. When the woman started walking away, Emma found herself following.

 

“Do you want me to get you a cab or something?”

 

“No. I’d like to walk for a while. I just need to put distance between myself and… that _place_.”

 

“I hear you. I never would have come here if I’d known what to expect. Not my scene at all.”

 

“Re- _gi_ -na!”

 

The woman stopped suddenly and pivoted and Emma turned with her. A tiny, blonde woman in a sparkly dress was being ushered into a waiting town car outside of the club, with a rather distinguished gentleman waiting to get in with her. The woman waved and blew Regina a kiss before disappearing into the car. The man followed in and the car pulled away from the curb and sped off.

 

Emma noticed the woman watching the scene with a wry smile. “Your friend?”

 

“Yes. This was all her idea.”

 

“Hey, at least you got a goodbye. The one that dragged me here ditched me as soon as she spotted her prospects for the night.”

 

The woman didn't answer, she just turned and started walking again. Emma wasn't sure why, maybe it was a need to make sure that she got where she needed to go safely, but she walked along with her. There was silence for about half a block and Emma started to talk again just to end the awkwardness.

 

“I'm Emma, by the way. Emma Swan. In case you wanted to know my name. Since I'm walking with you.”

 

“You don't have to,” the woman replied. She paused a beat and then said, “I apologize. I don't mean to be rude. I was just thinking.”

 

“About...? Not Human Mickey and Minnie in the bondage gear, I hope.”

 

There, that got the other woman to crack a smile, however brief. Her face assumed the same serious lines almost immediately, and she added, “No. It's just that I have people in my life telling me that I'm too uptight, and I stick to routines too much. I started thinking that perhaps they were right. And sure enough, when I do something… different, when I take a risk... it's a disaster.” She glanced at Emma. “Is it so bad to want to... I don't know, keep some control? Stay in your comfort zone?”

 

“Of course not. But sometimes taking risks doesn't end in a disaster, you know. Sometimes they just expand your comfort zone that much more.”

 

They walked in silence for a few paces and then she said, “I'm Regina. I mean, I'm sure that you heard, back there...” Regina gestured over her shoulder. “That was my friend Tink. Tabitha. We were college roommates. She's been doing this to me for years. She thinks she's helping, but...”

 

“But it's definitely not your comfort zone. Gotcha.”

 

“She's my best friend,” Regina said contemplatively. “My only friend, really. And sometimes it's as if she doesn't know me at all. Or she does, but she thinks that she knows what I need more than _I_ do... I'm sorry, I shouldn't be telling you all this.”

 

“No, it's okay. I know exactly what you're talking about. You should see some of the places and situations Lily, that's my best friend... what Lily has persuaded me into over the years. And I'm a _cop_. But, you know, it helps me to keep my edge. Now I can say I've seen a faux-luminati ritual in the flesh.”

 

Regina laughed, then seemed to pull it back. “I've never seen anything like that before, either. And it wasn't that those performers were bothering me, for the record. It was being closed up in that room. I couldn't stand it.” She glanced at Emma and put her hands in her coat pockets. “You must think me a bit of a fool. Panicking like that.”

 

“Nah. We all have fears.” They were approaching a diner. It looked pretty kitschy and a bit run down for a woman like Regina, but Emma decided that she couldn't offer advice to an almost-stranger about taking risks and not follow through on her own. “Are you cold? There's a diner up ahead. Do you want to get some coffee?”

 

Regina slowed to a stop. “I don't know... I don't even know where we are.”

 

“A couple blocks from here and we're uptown. The park's pretty close. I'll make sure you get home. How about it?”

 

Regina paused and then smiled. “Alright. Let's go.”


	4. Chapter 4

“I don't usually do this,” Emma said as she slid into the other side of the booth.

“Nor do I,” Regina replied, gingerly setting her handbag down on the table between them and hoping it wasn't sticky.

A waitress appeared and both women asked for coffee, black. Then they just looked at each other and laughed.

“This is a little awkward,” Regina said. “But at the same time it's not.”

“I know what you mean,” Emma said. “I deal with all kinds of people in a typical day, but I usually don't take them for coffee.”

“So... you're a police officer?”

“Yep. Before that I was a bail bondsperson, then I entered the academy, did patrol, and now I work in the Missing Persons Squad.”

Regina nodded, impressed. “Finding people,” she said. “That must be rewarding.”

Emma shrugged. “Not always. Sometimes what you find is not what you wanted at all.”

“But sometimes it is, right?”

Emma smiled. “Right. And what about you, what do you do?”

“I teach chemistry and general science courses at a private school. Chemistry for older students, general science for the younger children. Before I had my son, I was an assistant professor at Colombia.”

“Wow.” Their coffee arrived and Emma put two heaping spoons of sugar into hers. “I wouldn't have had you pegged for a teacher. Reading people is supposed to be one of my skills.”

“What impression did I give you? Other than damsel in distress?” Regina sipped at her coffee.

“I don't know. Bored socialite who got more than she bargained for. Looking for a little excitement while her husband was away on business. Something like that. No offense meant, but keep in mind that I'm paid to be cynical about people. After a while it becomes second nature.”

“You weren't far wrong,” Regina said, setting down her cup and wrapping her hands around it. “But my husband isn't away on business... I'm a widow.”

Emma froze with her cup halfway to her mouth. “Oh. I'm so sorry.”

“Don't worry about it. How could you have known? Anyway, it's years ago now. Right as the adoption was being finalized. It was all very sudden. He had a congenital heart disease no one had even suspected. He collapsed at work. He – Daniel – was gone before I even got to the hospital.”

“That must have been horrible for you. I'm sorry.”

“It was very difficult. There were times when I thought I'd never recover. Times when I didn't want to get out of bed. But I had to be strong for Henry – that's my son – and he's brought so much joy to my life. Things aren't as easy between us as they once were, but it's just a part of him growing up. I should probably let him have a bit more freedom. It's just that I don't want to risk losing him, too. He's at an age where choices start to matter so much to the rest of your life. And it's almost unfair, because in the moment, you don't know. You're just too young to truly grasp it... and I want to keep him from making any major mistakes. Do you know what I mean?”

“Oh yeah. Better than you know.” She paused, likely thinking of how much to reveal. Regina took the time to really study her face. She was pretty – long blonde hair, green eyes – and she gave off a warmth that made her easy to talk to. She looked Regina in the eye and she listened. Regina was probably talking too much, opening up far faster than she had with anyone since Daniel, but she couldn't help it. It was so rare to have someone other than Henry or Tink listening to her because they wanted to, and not because they had to.

“When I was young,” Emma began, “I met someone. He was older, and handsome. A little dangerous. Much more my friend Lily's speed than mine. But he liked me, and I was flattered. You see, neither of us had parents. I was a foster kid and his father had abandoned him. I felt like he was the only one who understood me. But then, I was seventeen, a runaway, and still naïve. Still, he was my first love. Anyway... he left, and I found out that I was pregnant. I didn't know what to do. And I hoped he would come back, but when I went searching for him... I found out that he’d died.”

“Oh my. How terrible that must have been for you. I'm so sorry.”

“I wanted my son to have a better life. So... I gave him up.” Emma blinked a few times and smiled weakly at Regina. “So you see, we do have something in common.” Emma took a deep breath and puffed out her cheeks. “Wow. You're only the second person I've ever told the whole story to. The other is my mother.”

Regina leaned forward. “You really are good at finding people, aren't you? When did you meet your mother?”

“About a year or so after I’d given up the baby. I’d started looking for her and it turned out that she was looking for me, too. I pinged on a search since they never changed my name while I was in the system. She was looking for an Emma, and I was the right age, so... I sent in a swab for testing when I got a letter from her and from this DNA testing place. It was a match, so I came here to meet her, and I've been living with her ever since.”

“Wow. You've lived quite a life. It's amazing to think so much happened to one person.”

Emma motioned to the waitress for a refill and they both had another cup of coffee. Regina eased back in the booth and looked around while the waitress poured. The place was full of all different sorts of people. Young, old, foursomes, couples, singles, some laughing loudly, some hunched over their coffee or their food, clearly wanting to be left alone.

She turned her attention back to Emma, who was looking pensive. “Well. I guess I wouldn't change anything that happened to me other than giving up my son. Everything else made me into who I am, but that...” Emma trailed off and shook her head. “I would love to see him and just know that he was okay.”

“Have you looked for him?”

“I'm in the process, but sometimes I wonder if that's the right thing. He's still fairly young, he might not even know that he's adopted. So there's that to consider as well.”

“I didn't plan on telling my son that he was adopted until he was a little older,” Regina offered. “But my mother took care of that for me.”

“Ouch. Why would she do that against your wishes?”

Regina shook her head. “Your guess is as good as mine. After Daniel died, she and my father told me to come and stay with them. They had the room, they had the money... I thought that it would be the best thing. I was grieving and trying to care for a baby. They hired a nanny to help me, but I got rid of her after a few months. When my father passed on he left me everything, including the house. I didn't want to give the house up – it's been in our family for generations – but I couldn't exactly kick my mother out either. She can be... let's just say Mother never met a harsh reality that she wasn't eager to share.”

Emma scoffed. “Sounds less than ideal. I've been really blessed with my mother. She's kind of like you. I feel like I can tell both of you anything.” She laughed and covered her mouth. “That probably sounded so creepy.”

“It didn't,” Regina said. “I feel the same way. Like I could tell you anything. In fact, you're the only person that knows about my mother, Daniel, and my son. Well, aside from Tink.”

“And we have a lot in common. We're both women in our thirties,” Emma paused and raised her eyebrows, like she was waiting for Regina's confirmation.

“Yes...”

“And we both live at home with our mothers...”

“It's not so unusual, is it?”

“That's pretty unusual in this day and age. Neither of us go out often, but we've got adventuresome best friends that lead us to...”

“Places we wouldn't normally go,” Regina said diplomatically.

Emma snickered. “That's one way of putting it.” She sobered. “And we both have a son.”

“My Henry is thirteen.”

“My son would be... yes, he's still thirteen as well.” The two women just looked at each other.

“We've both lost our first loves...”

Emma nodded. “Oh, and something else, too – our fathers have passed on. I never got to know mine,” she continued with an air of sadness, “but I hear about him all the time from my mom, her friends, guys down at the precinct.”

“He was a police officer as well?”

Emma nodded. “Like me, he was on a very different path in his younger years. He used to run all over town with his twin getting into all sorts of trouble. Just petty stuff, you know. When my dad met my mom, he tried to stay right for her sake, but he couldn't quite leave that world behind. Then I happened. My parents wanted to get married, but then my dad's twin got shot during a gun fight in a hold up gone bad. My dad got away, but barely. He kind of went off the rails a little bit, and my mother's father – he was a widower – was very… Catholic. He sent her away to live with an aunt, and they convinced her to give me up. They said my dad would never be any kind of father. She regretted the decision every day. When my dad finally did come back, he had pulled himself together and decided to join the police force. He wanted to do his part to prevent kids in their neighborhood from making the same mistakes he and his brother had made. But it was too late for me.”

“After all that, your parents stayed together?”

“Yes, they eventually got married, but it took her a long time to forgive him. They never had any other kids, but my dad fulfilled his goal. He shaped a lot of lives around the neighborhood, helped kids stay out of trouble, and all that sort of thing. He worked so hard to pay back what he saw as his debt to society. He really was a great cop.” Emma's eyes had a faraway look to them, and she looked a little embarrassed when she noticed Regina was watching her. “I try to do our family name proud every day I go in to work.”

“What happened to him, if - if you don't mind me asking?” Regina hoped she wasn't prying, but she was curious. Emma's life story intrigued her.

“Killed in the line of duty. Shot by some punk kid who had just robbed a liquor store. Ironic, isn't it?”

Regina ducked her head, surprised that her eyes were growing moist.

“Oh, hey... don't cry. My dad lived a good life. He loved my mother well and never stopped trying to make things up to her. He used his influence to make a difference. It was just his time, I guess. Things can catch up to you... Anyway. I've been talking your ear off. I'm so sorry.”

Regina tossed her hair and put a smile on. “Not at all. It's a fascinating story.”

“I don't know about fascinating, but it's all true. So... tell me about you. What's your story?”

“Despite the things I’ve already told you, it's hard for me to talk about myself.”

“Even with an interested audience?” Emma raised an eyebrow and gave what Regina was sure was a flirtatious smile. 

Regina couldn’t help but find herself returning it. “Alright then... if you really want to know...”


	5. Chapter 5

Emma couldn't believe her luck. Here she was, with a beautiful woman who was so easy to talk to, compassionate, interested in everything she had to say, intelligent, and who obviously had her life together. This kind of thing just didn't happen except in movies, did it? That one of Lily's escapades could have led to a night this unexpected and special was just shy of mind-blowing, as far as Emma was concerned.

She listened to Regina talk about her life, asked her questions, and offered her advice about her mother.

“If you don't mind me saying so – and I hope I'm not overstepping here – but it sounds like your mother is something of a toxic influence. And if this guy with the weird name – Killian, was it? – yeah, him. If you don't want that guy around your boy or in your house, you have every right to put your foot down. He sounds like a jerk.”

Regina shook her head and her lip curled with faint disgust. “He hits on me and every other woman in the vicinity when Mother's back is turned. I hate the fact that I'm helping to bankroll his sleazy lifestyle through my mother. He doesn't have a dime yet he lives like a king. But I can't just cut her off.”

“Who said anything about cutting her off? You can make sure she's taken care of. But your home is your space. Let her set up a love nest somewhere else. She sounds wily enough to make her way on her own. This isn't your typical grandmother we're talking about.”

“Definitely not. She knows just about every power player in town. She seems to know all their secrets, too.”

“There you go,” Emma said, smacking the table lightly for added emphasis. “She can definitely make it on her own. Why leave all that stress and negative energy in your life?”

“You have a point. I'm definitely going to think about it... Goodness, it's getting late! It's after three. I should probably get home.”

“I guess I should, too. I'll pay our bill and get you a cab.” Emma stopped the waitress who was passing by, but she waved Emma off.

“Bill's already been paid by a sympathetic eavesdropper.”

Emma exchanged glances with Regina. “Were we talking that loudly?”

“I guess so. I suppose everyone in here is now afraid of Cora Mills.” Regina smiled wickedly. “As they well should be.”

Emma left a tip on the table and they ambled together toward the door. “Want to share it? The cab, I mean.”

“Oh... well I probably live far out of your way...”

“I don't mind if you don't.”

Regina smiled. “Alright. But only if you let me pay.”

“We'll split it.”

“I insist.”

Regina waited patiently while Emma managed to hail a taxi in the midst of the thinning traffic. It headed toward Regina's first since she lived closer. The ride was pretty quiet but it was an amicable silence. Emma almost didn't want to break the peace, but there was something she wanted to say.

“So, listen. I just wanted to say I had a great time tonight. I can't remember the last time I enjoyed myself more, while just talking with someone.”

The passing lights illuminated the back seat enough for Emma to see Regina's smile. “I couldn't agree more.”

“And I was kind of hoping that we could do it again sometime soon.”

“You mean, like a...”

“We don't have to label it,” Emma said quickly. “We could just... see where it goes? All I know is that I want to see you again.” There was a pause.

“Alright. I'd love to.”

“Great,” Emma said, trying not to sound too relieved.

The cab was slowing to a stop. Regina handed the cabbie a couple of bills and told him to take Emma wherever she wanted. Emma got out of the cab and came around the back and helped Regina stand up.

“So... I'll call you tomorrow. Okay? Oh but wait, I don't have your number.” Emma pulled out her phone and Regina did the same. They exchanged numbers and Emma said, “Well. Alright. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.” Regina started to walk away, then turned. “I wanted to tell you... just in case you should change your mind about – about this. I just wanted to tell you not to be afraid to reach out to your son, when you find him. I said when, because I'm sure that you _will_ find him... but it's worth the risk. It will work out. I'm sure of it. Anyway. I just wanted to tell you that.”

“Thank you,” Emma said softly. “Talk to you soon.”

Regina ran up the stairs and Emma waited to see that she got inside safely. She sat in the back of the cab as it sped her back across the city, thinking over the night. Had she just made a date with Regina? Yes, she had. It wasn’t a first, and Regina wasn’t the sort of woman that she was used to being around or dating, but it felt right. She had to explore their easy chemistry. It was new, and unsettling and exciting. She smiled and sank back in the seat, letting a gentle sort of hope in what the promise of tomorrow could hold. Yes, this was something new indeed.

 

***

 

Regina closed the door behind her and pressed a few buttons to engage the security alarm. She leaned against the wall for a moment, not believing what had just happened. She'd met someone warm, kind, engaging, and smart – not to mention lovely to look at – and she’d had a... date? Yes, a date, and with a woman. It wasn't her first. Tink, in her desperation, had encouraged Regina to give a couple of blind dates with women a try, just for purposes of elimination, while they were at Cambridge. For Regina, it was neither here nor there. She just hadn't clicked with a blind date ever, male or female. But if she was being honest, it was something that she never expected to explore again. She pulled herself up from the wall and felt the sappy smile forming on her face. She never thought she could feel anything like this again, and she didn't feel like being practical. After feeling invisible for so long, finally there was someone else who saw her, _really_ saw her – and liked what they saw.

She climbed the stairs with a light step and was startled by her mother standing at the landing, waiting.

“Mother! What are you doing up?”

“I couldn't sleep until I knew my girl was back home safely. How did you enjoy _Libera_ , dear? Did the experience get you feeling a little… curious?”

“So you _were_ spying on me. How typical of you. And how typical of you not to give me a word of warning about that place. You might have said something, but that would have been the _kind_ thing to do. I should know better than to expect any kindness from you. But you know what? I'm glad you didn't warn me, Mother. Everything worked out perfectly.” Regina brushed past Cora and headed toward her bedroom.

“You're a fool if you think that woman looks at you and sees anything but money.” Cora's words slashed at the silence as Regina opened her bedroom door.

“That's one of the many differences between you and I, Mother. I have something to offer besides just that. Goodnight.”

Regina shut her bedroom door, and locked it for good measure. She wasn't going to let her mother ruin this. Even so, the night lost a bit of its enchantment. Cora's words brought back Emma's first assessment of Regina – that she was a bored socialite. Regina made ready for bed and did her best to push the doubts away. She snuggled under her blankets and looked at the phone on her nightstand. She hoped that Emma would call. She hoped for more nights like this one. She hoped, most of all, that her mother was wrong.


	6. Chapter 6

The next morning Emma was in an absolutely spectacular mood, even though she was running short on sleep. She sang loudly in the shower, cheerfully ran to the store for her mother because they were out of coffee, continuing to sing under her breath the entire time, and may or may not have twirled on her way down the hallway.

 

When she sat down to breakfast with her mother, a delicate eyebrow was raised on the other side of the breakfast nook.

 

“Someone's happy this morning.”

 

“Quite.” Emma said, folding a strip of bacon in half and popping it into her mouth.

 

“What time did you get in?”

 

“Late.”

 

“Graham said he's going to start dropping the boxes off soon. I can tell him to wait if you want to get some more sleep. Granny doesn't have that much to move in.”

 

“Wouldn't hear of it, Mom. I'll go make up her bed with some fresh linens. And I got her those while I was out,” Emma said, nodding to some daisies on the counter.

 

“That's my considerate girl. So tell me. Who is he?”

 

“Who is who?”

 

“I know you met someone last night. Do tell your mother all about it,” Mary Margaret leaned forward.

 

“Who says I met a guy?”

 

“It's written all over your face, Emma. But if you don't want to tell me about it...” Mary Margaret picked theatrically at her eggs with her fork.

 

“It's not that I don't want to tell you. It's just that I didn’t meet a man last night. I met a woman.”

 

Mary Margaret choked on her orange juice and grabbed a napkin and covered her mouth.

 

“Mom? Are you alright?”

 

“No, yeah. I'm fine.” Mary Margaret cleared her throat and attempted to regain her composure. “I'm just surprised.”

 

Emma gave Mary Margaret a questioning look. “Are you, really? I told you about –”

 

Mary Margaret waved a hand. “I know, I know. You're very open-minded. It was just a bit unexpected. You know I support your choices, Emma. I trust that you know what you want.”

 

“Thanks, Mom.”

 

“So tell me about her.”

 

“Well, first of all, that club was awful. She hated it, too. I swear, I'm never letting Lily convince me to go to another –”

 

“Emma.”

 

“Sorry. I'm not trying to change the subject. She couldn't get out of this room at the club, so I sort of rescued her. No, _rescued_ makes it sound more dramatic that it really was. Anyway, I saw her outside, and we just started walking because we wanted to get away from there. She has this flighty friend named Tink that was just going to _leave_ her there on her own. Can you believe that? You'd think her best friend wouldn't invite her to a place like that, but then again _my_ best friend did the same thing, so I can't really judge anyone else's friendship, now can I?”

 

Mary Margaret digested this rambling monologue with a patient smile. “And her name?”

 

“Huh? Oh. It's Regina. Regina Mills. She teaches chemistry at a private school uptown. She has a son that would be just about my boy's age. And get this – she adopted him. Isn't that great? I wish more people of means would adopt...”

 

“Means?”

 

“Yeah. She's a total socialite who really loves science. She's kind of reserved, but once you get her talking... you'd really like her. She lives in a building uptown.”

 

“An entire building?”

 

“Yeah, it was willed to her or something. She lives with her mother, but hopefully for not much longer.”

 

“I see.”

 

“She's great,” Emma said, biting into some toast with flourish. “So easy to talk to. I didn't even realize it at first but I found myself telling her things I've only ever told you.”

 

The doorbell chimed right at that moment, and Emma didn't notice the look of dismay on Mary Margaret's face as she got up to answer it.

 

                                            

***

 

Granny Lucas sat in Mary Margaret's favorite chair, watching all the goings on as her very own granddaughter sashayed in and out with that husband of hers, moving her things into a new room in a different house because they didn't want to deal with her. She noticed Emma's unusually bubbly demeanor and happy chatter and compared it with Mary Margaret’s rather subdued attitude this morning. While the young people were out talking on the porch, Mary Margaret wandered into the room and sat down on a couch on the opposite side of the room, looking rather bewildered. Still, the woman smiled at Granny and tried to make her feel better. As though she hadn't just been discarded by her granddaughter.

 

“Did you see the flowers Emma got for your room, Granny? We do hope you'll be comfortable here.”

 

Granny grunted by way of a response.

 

“If there's anything you need, or that we can get you, just let me know.”

 

“Look, child. You know I love you almost as much as my granddaughter. You've been like a daughter to me. But I'm tellin’ you now, and I'm tellin’ you plain. There ain’t enough flowers in the city to make me feel better about all this.”

 

“Oh, Granny. I'm so sorry.”

 

“I'll get used to it. Doesn't make it hurt any less. You'll see what I mean one day –” Granny broke off as Emma's happy laugh rang through the house from the porch. She stepped inside, humming, and carried another box through to Granny's room. “One day sooner rather than later, looks like. You'll see.”

 

“What do you mean?” Mary Margaret instinctively covered her heart with a hand, as if to protect it.

 

“That's how the young people do these days. They toss their mothers, grandmothers, the people that know ’em and care for ’em aside like they were nothing. Whoever’s got your Emma hummin’ and actin’ all chipper this mornin’ is going to take her away. You mark my word.”

 

“I doubt that. No one could take Emma away from me. No matter what happens in her life...” Mary Margaret trailed off as the words Emma had spoken about her new friend's mother came to mind. _‘She lives with her mother, but hopefully for not much longer.’_

 

“First thing, she'll be talkin' about movin’ out,” Granny continued. “Then she'll say she wants to put you someplace more _comfortable_ than this old house. She'll try to sell it right from under you, for your own good. Next thing, you're me – old, forgotten, and moved around like some piece on a chess board with no consideration for your feelin's. Hmph.”

 

“This house? Emma would never ask me to leave this house. All these memories David and I made here...” Mary Margaret's eyes grew bright with tears at the mere thought of leaving it.

 

“Wait and see,” Granny said. She wasn't trying to be cruel, but she had seen enough in her day to know human nature, and the general pace of life. “We all think it will be different where we're concerned – ’til it happens to _us_!”

 

As if on cue, Emma appeared in the room, ponytail bouncing, all smiles, and kissed Granny on the cheek. “Please don't look so upset, Granny. I know you'll be happy here. Ruby and Graham will be here all the time to visit you. And anyway, you two ladies may be getting more space to enjoy yourselves soon. I've been thinking about getting my own place.”

 

Granny raised a meaningful eyebrow at Mary Margaret, who was glancing from Granny to Emma and back again.

 

“And who knows?” Emma was saying. “If I ever get to a higher pay grade, maybe I'll be able to move you out of this old house, Mom. You deserve the best. You too, Granny. I’d better go see if Graham needs any more help.”

 

When Emma was outside again, Granny leaned forward and took note of Mary Margaret's shocked face. “Didn't I tell you? Listen to old Granny and do something. Fast, before you lose everything, just like I did.”

 

                             

***

 

Later on, Mary Margaret approached Emma carefully. With two knocks on the door and a call for her come in, Mary Margaret saw Emma, fresh out of the shower, wearing a bug fluffy robe, looking critically through her closet.

 

“What are you doing?” Mary Margaret asked, trying to keep her tone light.

 

“Looking for something to wear tonight. I thought I'd ask Regina to dinner.”

 

“You can't,” Mary Margaret said sharply.

 

Emma looked at her mother in surprise. “And why not?”

 

“Because... well, because Granny is having a hard time with all of this. I thought it would be nicer if you were here to make sure she was comfortable on her first night. She's really upset, you know,” Mary Margaret said, inwardly cringing at playing the guilt card so blatantly.

 

“Oh.” Emma frowned, then brightened again. “I guess I could ask Regina to come over here.”

 

Mary Margaret came into the room and sat down on Emma's bed. She watched Emma for a few moments and said, “Emma... would your friend really want to come here? To ‘this old house,’ as you called it?”

 

“What's the matter with you?” Emma asked turning around to face Mary Margaret with crossed arms. “I wasn't trying to insult this house, Mom. I love this house. I just want you to be happy.”

 

“I _am_ happy, Emma! I'm happy with the way things are, and I don't want them to change just because you've gotten your head turned by some rich snob that's never going to truly accept you for who you are!”

 

Emma digested this uncharacteristic emotional outburst with a nod and looked down at the floor. “This is _ridiculous_.” She looked up at her mother with fire flashing in her eyes. “You've been dropping hints to me for months about finding someone and starting to date again. Why don't you just say what the real problem is here? You're upset that I met a woman. It's not called being ‘open-minded,’ by the way. This is who I _am_. I'm not pretending to be something I'm not, some good little Catholic that does everything mommy tells her to do. I'm grown, and I like men _and_ women. I've _never_ hidden that from you. So if you're worried about me being accepted for who I am, you can start by accepting that.”

 

Mary Margaret flinched like she'd been slapped. She got up and left the room without another word, closing the door softly behind her.

 

***

 

Emma tilted her head back and looked at the ceiling. She had never blown up like that at her mother before. She immediately felt awful. How could she have said those things? She considered calling her mother back in the room and smoothing it all over, but instead she got dressed and sat down on her bed with her phone. She looked at it for a few moments and wondered if maybe her mother had a point about Regina after all. Emma knew that her mother cared for and loved her deeply. Mary Margaret wouldn't have said those things without some legitimate concern behind it somewhere. Before Emma made a decision one way or another, the phone buzzed in her hand. She had an incoming text message from a colleague of hers at the station.

 

_Det. Booth shot off-duty. At St. Joseph’s emergency. Don't know how serious._

Emma dropped the phone and strode over to her dresser, yanking open a drawer. Whatever dilemma she had with her mother would have to wait.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Emma paced back and forth in the hospital hallway as Mary Margaret sat watching her, white as a sheet, whispering prayers intermittently. Her heart wrenched with memories as she remembered pacing a hallway just like her daughter was doing now, waiting for word about her David. She wanted to do something, anything to make the waiting more bearable for her daughter, but Mary Margaret knew from experience that there was no comfort that she could give in a moment like this, other than her presence and simply being there. Only word from the doctor that they were watching for could deliver the news that would provide the true comfort... or the heartbreak.

 

Along with Mary Margaret, a few other detectives from their unit were there, too. Emma was the most distraught of them all, and she couldn't keep still. Whenever she sat down, she sprang back up again. When a figure rounded the corridor, the assembled turned in unison, but it was only Lily, who ran to Emma and gave her a hug.

 

“I got here just as soon as I could. Any word?”

 

Emma shook her head.

 

“Oh, honey. He's going to be okay.”

 

“No, Lil. Please don't say that. Don't give me false hope.”

 

“He's in surgery?” Lily directed this question to Mary Margaret.

 

Mary Margaret nodded. “They didn't tell us much. Just that he had...” She cleared her throat and forced the next words out. “He had lost a lot of blood.” She glanced Emma's way and it hurt her heart to see her daughter in so much pain. Mary Margaret felt beyond awful when she remembered how she had resented Emma's happiness just a few hours prior. It shouldn't have taken this horrible turn of events to make her realize that Emma's happiness was and always would be the most important thing to her.

 

Just then, a doctor did appear in the corridor, and Emma rushed up to him. “Please... August Booth. Is he –” Mary Margaret and Lily were at Emma's side instantly as the group waited breathlessly for news, confirmation one way or another. Emma reached out and took her mother's hand.

 

The doctor was grim, but his words allayed their fears. “He's going to be fine. He was very lucky he got here in time. A few more minutes and we may not have been able to save him. One of the bullets was very close to an artery in his leg. He made it through surgery like a trooper. I must say, he was unusually calm when he was brought in. Mr. Booth is made of strong stuff.”

 

“When can I see him?” Emma asked pleadingly.

 

“He should be waking up soon. You can go in and wait for him if you'd like. Nurse? Take her to Recovery room C, please.” Without a word, just a squeeze of her mother's hand, Emma followed after the nurse.

 

                                            

***

 

Almost an hour later, August stirred as the last of the anesthesia wore off and blinked a few times. “Hey,” he croaked, with a faint smile for Emma.

 

Emma pulled her chair closer and smiled down at him. “Hey.”

 

“So this is what it takes to get you to spend some time with me off the clock,” he said sleepily, letting his eyes drift closed, the same smile playing on his lips.

 

Emma had to laugh even as a few stray tears trickled down her cheeks. “So that was your plan, huh? I should have known.”

 

August opened his eyes and blinked languidly. “Don't cry. I'll ask them to put you on this drip. Whatever it is, it's impossible to be sad with it running through your veins.”

 

“Idiot,” Emma said, brushing the tears off her face with her sleeve. “Don't you ever do this to me again.”

 

August's gaze focused in on her a little stronger, that familiar look she knew so well. “I won't.”

 

                                                                          

***

 

Emma updated everyone on August's condition, and some of the other detectives went in to see him. Emma gave her mother and Lily huge hugs and thanked them for being there with her.

 

“Where else would we be?” Lily said with a smile.

 

Emma turned to her mother and gave her an extra hug. “I know how hard this must have been for you. Remembering...”

 

“Don't worry about that. All that matters now is that August is alright.”

 

Emma felt her phone vibrating in her jacket and it hit her suddenly that she had completely forgotten about Regina. “Oh no,” she groaned.

 

“What's wrong?” Lily asked.

 

“Nothing.” She quickly answered a text from another colleague asking how August was doing.

 

One of the detectives placed a hand on Emma's shoulder before she could answer. “August is asking for you.”

 

“I'll tell you about it later. I'll be back.”

 

Emma came back to August's room and she was happy to see that his color looked better. He was propped up a little higher on the pillows and he smiled when she came in, without that dazed look.

 

Emma sat down and they just looked at each other for a moment. “Are you going to tell me what happened?”

 

“Just wait on the official report. I know how you love to read those.”

 

Emma shook her head. “I see this experience hasn't changed you.”

 

“Would you have it any other way?”

 

“I think you know the answer to that.”

 

“So,” August said in his most conversational tone, crossing his hands over his abdomen. “What's new with you?”

 

“If you ask me if I have any plans tonight, August, so help me...”

 

“No need,” August said with a victorious air. “I know you've cleared your calendar for the night for yours truly. Might as well get comfortable in that Formica chair, Swan.”

 

Emma had to laugh. What would she do without August in her life?

 

“So are you going to tell me about it? Or do I have to guess?”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“You look different.”

 

“Waiting to hear your fate took five years off my life, I suppose.” This she said lightly, but her face grew serious.

 

“Huh uh. You're not going to make this about me. What happened at that club?”

 

“Do you really want to talk about this now? You won't even tell me what happened to you.”

 

“I'd rather not dwell on that more than I have to, thank you very much. Help me take my mind off it. Did you meet someone?”

 

Emma smiled a little. “I did.”

 

“I knew it. I _would_ get shot just a day too late.”

 

“I can't deal with you, August.”

 

“Of course you can. Tell me about her.”

 

Emma raised an eyebrow. “How do you know I met a woman?”

 

“Please. If you were ever going to go out with a guy again, it would be me.”

 

“I can't argue with you there,” Emma said, full of fondness for her friend. Her rarely appropriate, annoyingly perceptive, absolutely irreplaceable August.

 

“Go on then. Let me hear it.”

 

“Well, since you asked...”

 

                                                           

***

 

When she was finished updating him on everything that had happened since they had parted ways at the station, August was watching her closely.

 

“You know what? That would make a great story.”

 

“You _would_ say that.”

 

“Almost reminds me of a movie I saw once.”

 

“August. Don't make fun of me.”

 

“I'm not. Do you know how rare what you just told me is? How many people hope to find what was just dropped into your lap?” He was silent for a moment, and then another thought occurred to him. “Have you told Lily about any of this yet?”

 

“No. I haven't had a chance.”

 

“Just as well. She'll tell you that it's a waste of time to even think about getting involved with Regina, and you'll believe her, and live to regret it.”

 

Emma sighed. “I don't know. Like I said, I think my mom may have a point. Our backgrounds are pretty different.”

 

“Please. It's obviously fate that brought you together. The same fate that had me cross paths with a wanted felon I just happened to recognize because I was looking at outstanding cases in the district last night while I did the filing you passed back off onto me, the same felon that would try to shoot his way to escape, leading to my dramatic surgery, life-affirming survival, and the advice I'm about to give you now.”

 

“O... kay. Shoot.” Emma winced at her gaffe. “Sorry. Go on, I mean.”

 

“Life is short, Emma. Take the chance. Do what you have to do to find your son. And if this Regina turns out to be the one, don't let anyone tell you otherwise, and don't let her go.”

 

 

***

 

Emma was surprised to see her mother still waiting for her in the corridor. “Hey,” she said. “I thought you would have left. Where's Lily?”

 

“She's coming right back. I wanted to talk to you. And this won't wait.”

 

“What is it, Mom?”

 

“I just wanted to apologize. For what happened before. And it wasn't about you meeting a woman. I was just... it sounds stupid, but I was afraid I might lose you. With what just happened to Granny...”

 

“Oh, Mom. We're never going to lose each other again. No matter what. You will always be in my life. Don't you know how much you mean to me? I'm sorry, too. I never should have spoken to you that way.”

 

Mary Margaret embraced Emma, and when they pulled apart, each of them had watery eyes. “You know what your father would tell you?”

 

“About Regina?”

 

“Mmhmm. He would tell you to grab happiness whenever you could, wherever you found it. That's what he always did. And that's what I want you to do.”

 

“I will, Mom,” Emma said, wrapping her mom in another hug. “I will.”


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

 

While Emma was at the hospital with August, Regina was waiting... and waiting... for the phone to ring. She was unusually restless the entire day, and she had slept poorly the previous night. Morning turned to afternoon, and still the phone hadn’t rung. She checked the phone to make sure it was working. She charged it. She carried it from room to room, angling it to ensure a good signal. She considered calling Emma, but her pride wouldn't let her. Hadn't she given Emma an out? If she didn't call, she didn't call. It wouldn't be the first time this had happened to Regina, but it would be the most disappointing.

 

Regina was sitting in her study, grading papers on auto-pilot as the day's shadows grew longer, when Henry wandered in.

 

“Mom? Got a sec?”

 

“Sure, come on in. I was just grading some papers.”

 

“Grandma told me you went out last night. Did you have fun?”

 

Regina weighed how much to say. “I did, actually. I'm feeling a little foolish today, though. Why do you ask?”

 

“Why do you feel foolish?”

 

“It's nothing. I just thought... I think I might have been presumptuous about something. That's all.”

 

“But it wasn't so bad, was it? Better than sitting at home, for sure. Right? Even if it didn't work out the way you wanted it to.”

 

Regina tried not to smile as Henry transparently led her to the point he wanted to make.

 

“No, sweetheart. It wasn't so bad.”

 

“Exactly! And you're glad it happened, because something is always better than nothing in this life, right? That's what Grandpa used to say. You've got to make the most of every opportunity.”

 

“That he did.”

 

“So... Jake asked if I could come hang out at Gamerville for a few hours. I can find my own way there and back, Mom. I'll have my phone, and I _promise_ I'll call if anything goes wrong. I'll be back by 7.”

 

Regina took a deep breath and tapped her pen a few times, mulling over the request before she answered. “Alright. But I expect you to get here _before_ 7\. You're going straight there and coming right back home. And no calling me from somewhere else asking me for more time.”

 

“I won't. I promise.”

 

“I've decided that I'm going to start letting you have some more freedom, Henry. You've built credibility with me as a responsible young man. Be careful not to squander it, or it'll be a long time before you earn my trust again.”

 

“So I can go?”

 

Regina smiled at him. “Get out of here.”

 

With a jubilant “Thanks, Mom!” He darted out of the study, probably afraid she would change her mind.

 

Her phone vibrated on her desk and she picked it up with an eager smile that faltered a bit when she realized it was just a text from Tink, an apology for not getting to say a proper goodbye, and a promise to catch up just as soon as she had a moment free.

 

Regina set her phone down and sighed.

 

“Waiting for a call?”

 

The male voice and accent made Regina's head snap up. She narrowed her eyes and the man swaggering into her space like he owned it, accompanied by a waft of loud cologne. “What are you doing here, Killian?”

 

“Now what kind of welcome is that for your soon-to-be stepfather?”

 

“ _What_?!”

“I expect you’ll strike a more… _familial_ tone in future, hm?”

“How did you get in here?”

“I've been here since last night. You didn't really expect your mother to take orders from you, now did you?”

“Ah, there you two are,” Cora said as she entered the room. “Has Killian shared our good news?” Regina watched in disgust as Cora glided up to Killian and linked an arm through his. She placed her left hand on Killian's chest, as if to show off her gaudy new ring.

“I made it perfectly clear that this man wasn't welcome in my home, Mother. Did you mistake what I said?”

“Oh no, dear. The only mistake made was by you, in thinking that I gave a damn.” Cora smiled placidly. “As far as I'm concerned, I feel Killian provides just what this house needs. Some raw, _masculine_ energy. You might not see it, but your Henry is turning into quite the little mother’s boy. He could use some of Killian's influence, don't you think? Killian would be more than happy to help guide him.”

“Like hell he will.” Regina leaned back in her chair and crossed her legs. “I'm giving you two options, Mother. Listen and learn. You can move out, and take him with you,” she gestured at Killian, “or I'll throw you out. I'm weary of asking you. Now, I'm telling you. I don't care what you two do in your own time and space. But you won't do it here or on my dime. Test me on this and you'll find out what life is like when _I_ no longer give a damn.”

Cora raised an eyebrow and dropped Killian's arm.

“I wonder wherever you got the idea you could treat anyone this way?”

“From you, Mother. Where else? Every teacher was once a student.”

“You can't cut me off,” Cora demanded. “I'm entitled to –”

“Nothing.” Regina said. “Father's will was ironclad. He knew what you were as well as I do. You two had better start thinking about budgeting whatever it is you have left. I'm sure that your fiancé will help you get through these troubled times. It's clear that there's _so_ much more than money keeping you two together. Right, Mother?”

“You wouldn't dare attempt to do this to me!” Cora hissed.

“I would do all this and more to protect my son. You went too far this time, Mother. I've taken your cruelty for years, but now I'm finished. I won't let your poison touch my son any more than it already has. Now get out. I'll give you until 7 to get your things together and go. Whatever you don't take now will be forwarded to whatever address you provide for my lawyer.”

Cora gave Regina a measuring look.

“On you go. I want you out of here before Henry gets back home.”

“Come along, Killian.” Cora spun on her heel and walked away. When he didn't follow, she turned around again. “Killian!”

Killian was rubbing the back of his head with a sheepish look on his face. “Ehm. Look me up when you get yourself sorted, love, won't you? Once you get back on your feet.” He nodded in Regina's direction by way of a goodbye and walked right past Cora.

Regina took no pleasure in her mother's final humiliation. And she doubted she would follow through with cutting her off completely – she couldn't do that to her mother. But it was over. She was going to move forward.

Cora left the room much more humbly that she had entered it and Regina sagged in her chair, thinking over what she had just done. Where had she found the confidence to let Henry stand up on his own, and to stand up to her mother?

_From Emma._

She looked at her phone and picked it up, and decided to test her confidence further. She scrolled to Emma’s name and made the call.

***

When Emma finally got home that evening, she was greeted by Granny, who made her and Mary Margaret sit down so that she could feed them soup and sandwiches. Granny kept apologizing to Mary Margaret for something, but Emma wasn't really paying attention to what it was all about. She felt emotionally exhausted and excused herself to have a little privacy in her room to process her thoughts.

 

She collapsed on her bed and curled up, thinking with a shiver about how close she had come to losing August. She was so grateful that he had pulled through. Then she thought about what he’d said about fate. Was it real? She wished that she shared her mother's assurance that everything eventually worked out the way it was supposed to, and if you were good, good things would come your way. It had taken Emma the longest time to even believe that she was worthy of anything good happening in her life. She liked to think that she had left all that baggage behind, but she wondered if that was truly the case.

 

She considered the words she had heard today from August and her mother.

 

_‘Life is short.’_

_‘Grab happiness wherever you can, while you can.’_

 

She had the taking risks part down. But was she willing to let herself truly be happy?

 

She reached for her phone and saw she had a few texts waiting and one missed call from Regina. She took a deep breath and dialed her back.

                                                           

***

 

“So that's what happened. I hope you didn't think I was ignoring you. I just had a lot going on.”

 

“Of course I understand,” Regina said. “I'm happy to hear that your partner is all right.”

 

“You and me both,” Emma said, rolling over and propping herself up on her elbow. She almost felt giddy, like a teenager talking on the phone to her crush.

 

She ended up talking to Regina for over an hour, laughing as Regina described the showdown with her mother and her slimeball fiancé.

 

“Sounds like you're well rid of them,” Emma said. “You must be relieved.”

 

“I am. Sad in a way too. I don't know if my relationship with my mother can ever be healed.”

 

“Maybe in time. For now, though, I suggest you just try to enjoy your newfound freedom. From what you said, I bet your son is doing the same thing. Just focus on the two of you being in this new place.”

 

“You give such great advice,” Regina said. “If I hadn't met you, I doubt that I would have had the courage to stand up to my mother today.”

 

“I don't know about that,” Emma replied.

 

“I mean it.”

 

“I don't think it's possible to bring out something in someone that wasn't already there. But if I helped you realize something, consider it me returning the favor. You did the same for me.”

 

“I did? How?”

 

“By making me see what's possible. Even the possibility is better than nothing, even if it's not realized in the way you want. I mean, it's better than nothing. Know what I mean?”

 

Emma swore she could feel Regina's smile as she replied. “Yes. I think I do.”

 

                                            

***

 

It was Friday again, and Emma was feeling a lot better than she had just one short week ago. August had been released from the hospital and was resting at home, Granny's bitterness had leveled off and she was getting more acclimated to living in the house, and Mary Margaret was back to her old sweet self. Things were back to normal, more or less.

 

Emma was cheerfully helping her mother put together some food for Leroy, the grumpiest of her mother's friends who also happened to be coming to dinner tonight. He was a prickly pear, but Emma liked him anyway.

 

The doorbell rang and Emma volunteered to answer it. Assuming it was Leroy, Emma was surprised to see Regina on the other side of the screen door.

 

“Regina? What are you doing here?”

 

Regina smiled. “I hope I'm not intruding. I was just in the neighborhood and I thought...”

 

“Of course! Come on in.” Emma opened the screen door and stepped back to let Regina inside. “Want to meet my mom?” Without waiting for a reply she led Regina into the kitchen. “Granny is here too, somewhere,” Emma said with a smile over her shoulder.

 

“Your grandmother?”

 

“Well no, I just call her that. She might as well be.” Emma stepped into the kitchen. “Mom? There's someone I'd like you to meet.”

 

Mary Margaret turned and hastily wiped her hands on a dish towel. “Regina?”

 

Regina stepped forward almost shyly. “Yes. It's nice to meet you, Mrs...” She looked toward Emma with a bit of panic in her eyes.

 

“Nolan,” Mary Margaret and Emma said in unison.

 

“Mrs. Nolan.” Regina held out her hand to Mary Margaret, who gave it a half squeeze, half shake.

 

“Hello. Emma's told me all about you. Welcome to our home. Do you want to stay for dinner?”

 

“That's very kind of you, but I'm just stopping by.”

 

Mary Margaret smiled. “Some other time, then.”

 

“Let's get out of her way, then.” Emma led Regina into their living room and they sat down together on the couch. Emma scooted over a bit so that they weren't _too_ close. She wanted Regina to be comfortable.

 

Regina looked around and then blushed a little when she realized that Emma was watching her.

 

“It's nice,” Regina said. “Homey. Warm.”

 

Emma shrugged. “That's all my mom. She could make a cardboard box feel like home.” She examined Regina's expression. “I know it's humble, and different from what you're probably used to, but...”

 

Regina cut her off and placed a hand on Emma's arm. “I meant what I said. I like it.”

 

“I'm glad.”

 

Their eyes met and Regina pulled her hand away, blushing again. She tucked her black hair behind one ear. “I have something to tell you, by the way.”

 

“Shoot.”

 

“Well, I um... I wasn't just in the neighborhood. I came here to see you.”

 

Emma raised her eyebrows. “I appreciate the honesty.”

 

“And another thing... I had a background check run on you.”

 

Emma laughed. “O...kay. I guess I can understand that.”

 

“It's not that I didn't believe in you... well, it was stupid, because I really like you, I mean...” Regina paused to gather herself, and Emma tried not to look like she was enjoying her stumbling around an explanation, even though she was. Regina was cute when she was all flustered.

 

Regina cleared her throat and tried again. “I ran it, but I didn't read it. I ultimately decided that I trusted you. I mean, I trusted you all along, but...”

 

“I got it,” Emma said. “Don't worry about it. I Googled you, myself.”

 

“You did?”

 

“Well, yeah. And I have to say I was impressed.”

 

“Oh... you're making me blush.”

 

“I got to thinking you're just a bit out of my league. I thought I better try playing it cool. So I didn't call you every time I wanted to. Or even half the times I wanted to.” Emma laughed as she felt her own cheeks flush.

 

“I was going to call you several times this week but I wanted to give you your space. I know that you've had a lot going on.”

 

Emma nodded. “I had some really long shifts in there, and then there was August – I've been visiting him in the hospital and at home.”

 

“How is he?”

 

“Better,” Emma grinned. “He was back to his old self, badgering me about my plans for the weekend.”

 

Regina nodded contemplatively. “So... do you have any?”

 

“I guess that depends on if you do.”

 

“I don't. I've been trying to figure out the best way to ask you out. My son is all about taking more risks and being more open these days. I guess you could say he's the one that inspired me to come over here. You know... the direct approach.”

 

Emma studied Regina for a moment. “The direct approach, huh? I like it.” Emma smiled and held Regina’s gaze. “Let me try that right now.” Emma leaned over and placed a gentle hand on the side of Regina's cheek and kissed her on the lips. She pulled back and looked at Regina, whose eyes were closed. She made to drop her hand from the other woman’s cheek and Regina caught it, opening her eyes. They stared at each other as the seconds passed.

 

“Sorry...” Emma breathed.

 

“Oh. No! Don't be. You're fine. I just… I wasn't expecting that.” Regina smiled and gave Emma's hand a slight squeeze.

 

“I wasn't expecting you to show up at my door.”

 

Regina shrugged cutely. “I guess this night is full of surprises.”

 

“So what will we do?”

 

“I'm up for anything,” Regina said, and Emma could tell that she meant it. “As long as I'm with you.”

 

                                                                                          ***

 

Three weeks later, Emma was holding a small bouquet of flowers and standing nervously outside Regina's door for the first time since the night they met. They had been seeing each other as often as their schedules would allow, and it was going very well. It was different for both of them, but they were finding their way together. Emma was very content, and Regina was too. Their first kiss, their first... everything had been spectacular. Regina had met Emma's family, and now Emma was about to meet Henry for the first time.

 

She really wanted the kid to like her. Kids usually did, but this was different. Regina was growing to mean a lot to Emma, and if Henry decided that he didn't like her, it could ruin everything. But no. She had faith that wouldn't happen.

 

Emma reasoned to herself that she had nothing to fear. She was learning more and more to trust that good things would come her way, if she was willing to see them. She just had to relax, let go, and embrace the moment.

 

Anyway, this situation was similar to what she would face when she met her own son. She had begun the process of searching for him in earnest, and she felt like it was only a matter of time before that day finally came.

 

She rang the doorbell and waited. She heard feet running on the other side of the door and when it swung open and she saw a boy of about thirteen. He was obviously in the middle of a growth spurt, but he had one of those faces where you could tell what he would look like when he was fully grown. Or at least, Emma could tell; she had seen the grown-up version of the boy that stood in front of her a long time before. She took in his dark hair and easy smile, the way his eyes turned down and crinkled at the corners, and the way he tilted his chin up just so when he said, “Hey, we've been expecting you. What's up? I'm Henry.”

 

It all clicked in Emma's mind at once, August’s words about fate and her mother’s faith that everything would work out. She now knew where her recent line of queries would lead. She slowly held out the hand not holding the flowers and smiled back. “Hi. I'm Emma.”

 

 

The end.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to lzclotho for the encouragement and fictorium and writetherest for organizing the Big Bang. It was really fun taking part in this.
> 
> Big thanks as well to all of you who have taken the time to read this story. :)


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